Over a month ago, a cargo ship named Ruby departed from a Russian port. Soon after, the vessel docked in Norway, at the port of Tromsø, due to what was described as “bad weather conditions”.
What was special about the ship Ruby?
Normally, this wouldn’t be a news story, except for one thing: the ship’s cargo consisted of ammonium nitrate, a substance known for being used in explosives. The ship has 20,000 tons of the material onboard.
The ship, which sails under the Maltese flag, originally named its destination as the Canary Islands, off of Spain. But then, under scrutiny, said it was headed towards Lithuania. Earlier this month, Ruby was ordered to leave Norway and move on. But, Lithuania has refused the ship’s entry unless the explosive cargo is removed. Needless to say, there has been a lot of confusion about Ruby‘s destination. It remained in Norway for the last few weeks.
What’s the latest on the ship Ruby‘s location?
Last week, the vessel appeared on the move out of Norway with a “Not Under Command” warning. Typically, that means the ship is drifting. It was soon discovered that the vessel was being tugged.
The ship is damaged and needs repairs, including to its hull. So, its location is being watched closely. After drifting off of the Norwegian coast, it now appears that Ruby is on the move – this time towards Malta. The Swedish Coast Guard authorities are closely tracking its movements off of Sweden. Most Scandinavian countries have refused the ship’s entry due to security concerns.
A major security risk
There are many concerns about the explosive contents of the ship due to obvious reasons: it’s a major security risk. After all, ammonium nitrate caused the 2020 Beirut explosion, notoriously caught on tape and killing over 210 people. The Norwegian government has been investigating the ship and its cargo. Now, it has been determined that Ruby was actually owned by Syrian interests, though it flies under the Maltese flag.
Discussions among regional countries continue to be underway to find a location for the ship to make port and dock for necessary repairs. But, nothing is being left to chance. We will keep you posted on further updates as they happen.
